The invention relates to an apparatus for moving the pinch roller and the magnetic head of a tape recorder, and more particularly, to such apparatus which moves the pinch roller into abutment against a capstan with a magnetic tape held therebetween, which tape is caused to run by means of the rotation of the capstan being transmitted thereto, and in which the magnetic head is brought into contact with the magnetic tape.
In general, a tape recorder includes a capstan and a pinch roller between which a magnetic tape is held so that the rotation of the capstan is transmitted to the tape to drive the tape. When this condition is achieved, a magnetic head is brought into contact with the tape. To achieve such an arrangement, it is necessary that the pinch roller be moved away from the capstan to permit a magnetic tape to be loaded therebetween, and to move the pinch roller into abutment against the capstan with the tape held therebetween. An arrangement is made such that as the pinch roller moves in this manner, the magnetic head is also driven to move into contact with the magnetic tape when the pinch roller is brought into abutment against the capstan with the tape held therebetween. However, when the pinch roller is spaced from the capstan, the magnetic head is also spaced from the tape.
A drive mechanism which achieves such movement of the pinch roller and the magnetic head relative to the capstan and the magnetic tape, respectively, typically utilizes an electromagnetic solenoid. However, it will be appreciated that an arrangement utilizing such a solenoid is disadvantageously bulky as well as heavy. Another arrangement is also known which is of a lever type, including a lever driven in response to the operation of a mode switching pushbutton or slide button to move a movable plate on which the pinch roller and the magnetic head are carried. The arrangement of the lever type is complex in construction and requires a relatively large number of parts.